Up to three lanes of northbound I-405 will be reduced from State Route 520 to Northeast 85th Street starting at 10 p.m. Friday, April 25 until 4:30 a.m. Monday, April 28.
Up to three lanes of southbound I-405 will be reduced overnight from Northeast 124th Street to Northeast 85th Street starting at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, April 27 until 4:30 a.m. Monday, April 28.
Project overview
WSDOT, Sound Transit, and design-build contractor Graham Contracting, Ltd. are working to reconstruct and improve the I-405/Northeast 85th Street interchange. This project design supports Sound Transit's Stride Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), improves transit connections on Northeast 85th Street, and provides direct access to the I-405 Express Toll Lanes (ETLs).
With the City of Kirkland’s support, WSDOT and Sound Transit chose Northeast 85th Street for this project because it is a main connection between Downtown Kirkland, Redmond, and I-405. Working together, WSDOT, the City of Kirkland, and Sound Transit developed this project to improve accessibility for transit riders along the I-405 corridor and throughout the region and improve mobility and people who walk, bike, or roll.
The current interchange has two levels: the bottom level for local traffic on Northeast 85th Street and the top level for freeway traffic on I-405.
Project improvements along the lower level include local road improvements along Northeast 85th Street and its intersection with 114th Avenue Northeast/Kirkland Way.
The newly constructed middle level of the interchange is a multimodal hub. The hub will improve access and save time for transit riders, carpoolers, ETL users, and people who walk, bike, or roll. Transit riders will benefit from a new BRT station in the median of the northbound and southbound lanes, with connections to local bus stops. Pedestrians and cyclists will have wider sidewalks and better connections to BRT and the regional transit network. Carpoolers and ETL users will have direct-access ramps to the ETL system on I-405.
The project will also include fish barrier corrections, noise walls, and new stormwater facilities.
Once finished, this project will offer safer, more reliable transportation options for Kirkland residents, neighbors, and commuters – no matter how they get around.
What to expect
Northbound and southbound I-405 lane reductions in Kirkland for traffic switch, April 25-28
Northbound and southbound Interstate 405 in Kirkland will have lane reductions April 25-28. Crews will prepare the roadway for the upcoming northbound traffic switch and switch southbound I-405 traffic to the new bridge.
Northbound I-405 lane reductions, April 25-28
Up to three lanes of northbound I-405 will be reduced from State Route 520 to Northeast 85th Street starting at 10 p.m. Friday, April 25 until 4:30 a.m. Monday, April 28.
Northbound I-405 on- and off-ramps to Northeast 85th Street will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday, April 25 to 7 a.m. Sunday, April 27.
Crews will prepare the roadway for the upcoming northbound traffic switch to the new bridge. At a later date, northbound I-405 will shift to the new bridge during an overnight lane reduction.
Southbound I-405 lane reductions, April 27-28
Up to three lanes of southbound I-405 will be reduced overnight from Northeast 124th Street to Northeast 85th Street starting at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, April 27 until 4:30 a.m. Monday, April 28.
The southbound I-405 off-ramp to Northeast 85th Street will be closed nightly at the following times:
- 10 p.m. Friday, April 25 to 6 a.m. Saturday, April 26
- 10 p.m. Sunday, April 27 to 7 a.m. Monday, April 28
During the lane reductions, the Express Toll Lanes (ETLs) will be open to all. Travelers are advised to drive carefully and follow the signs through the work zone.
Schedule updates will be available on the project webpage, WSDOT’s Travel Center map, the WSDOT mobile app and by signing up for King County email updates.
Upcoming I-405 ramp and lane closures
Highway lane closures:
- Friday, April 25 to the morning of Monday, April 28: Up to three lanes of northbound I-405 will be reduced from State Route 520 to Northeast 85th Street from 10 p.m. – 4:30 a.m.
- Sunday, April 27 to the morning of Monday, April 28: Up to three lanes of southbound I-405 will be reduced overnight from Northeast 124th Street to Northeast 85th Street from 9:30 p.m. – 4:30 a.m.
- Monday, April 28 to the morning of Wednesday, April 30: Two Express Tolls Lanes (ETLs) on southbound I-405 will be closed between milepost 20.0 to milepost 17.0 nightly, from 8 p.m. – 4:30 a.m.
- Monday, April 28 to the morning of Friday, May 2: The right lane of northbound I-405 will be closed between milepost 17.0 and 20.0 nightly, from 9:30 p.m. – 4:30 a.m.
- Friday, May 2 to the morning of Saturday, May 3: The right lane of northbound I-405 will be closed between milepost 17.0 and 20.0 from 9:30 p.m. – 4:30 a.m.
Highway ramp closures:
- Friday, April 25 to the morning of Sunday, April 27: Northbound I-405 on- and off-ramps to Northeast 85th Street will be closed from 10 p.m. – 7 a.m.
- Friday, April 25 to the morning of Saturday, April 26:The southbound I-405 off-ramp to Northeast 85th Street will be closed nightly from 10 p.m. – 6 a.m.
- Sunday, April 27 to the morning of Monday, April 28: The southbound I-405 off-ramp to Northeast 85th Street will be closed nightly from 10 p.m. – 7 a.m.
- Monday, April 28 to the morning of Friday, May 2: The southbound I-405 off-ramp to Northeast 85th Street will be closed nightly, from 10 p.m. – 4 a.m.
- Friday, May 2 to the morning of Saturday, May 3: The southbound I-405 off-ramp to Northeast 85th Street will be closed from 10 p.m. – 6 a.m.
Local street closures:
- Monday, April 28 to the morning of Friday, May 2: The eastbound lanes of Northeast 85th Street from the southbound on-ramp to the northbound off-ramp will be closed nightly, from 9 p.m. – 5 a.m.
- Monday, April 28 to the morning of Friday, May 2: The westbound lanes of Northeast 85th Street from the northbound on-ramp to the southbound off-ramp will be closed nightly, from from 9 p.m. – 5 a.m.
Upcoming nightwork
Week of April 20 – April 26
- Monday, April 28 to Saturday, May 2, nightly 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.: The westbound and eastbound lanes of Northeast 85th Street from the northbound on-ramp to the southbound off-ramp will be closed nightly for construction on the new bridge structures.
- Monday, April 28 to the morning of Wednesday, April 30 nightly, from 8 p.m. – 4:30 a.m.: Two Express Tolls Lanes (ETLs) on southbound I-405 will be closed between milepost 20.0 to milepost 17.0 for barrier setting and striping.
- Monday, April 28 to the morning of Friday, May 2 nightly, from 9:30 p.m. – 4:30 a.m.: The right lane of northbound I-405 will be closed between milepost 17.0 and 20.0 for sign bridge prep.
- Friday, May 2 to the morning of Saturday, May 3 from 9:30 p.m. – 4:30 a.m.: The right lane of northbound I-405 will be closed between milepost 17.0 and 20.0 for sign bridge prep.
The project will replace the existing two-level interchange at Northeast 85th Street with a three-level interchange and construct local improvements along Northeast 85th Street and its intersection with 114th Avenue Northeast/Kirkland Way.
